COVID-19: Coverage of the pandemic from MPR News

The latest news, resources, guides and tips to help you stay up to date on the coronavirus pandemic.

Long-term care industry, facing staffing shortages, on edge over vaccine mandate
President Joe Biden’s administration announced this week that all nursing home employees must get the COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 4. Some Minnesota long-term care leaders say they are worried the requirement could cause more staff to quit at a time when there are 23,000 open jobs in the industry.
Pfizer says COVID-19 pill cut hospital, death risk by 90%
The company announced Friday it will soon ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and international regulators to authorize its pill, which is taken twice a day for five days.
Vaccine clinics for younger children expand in Minnesota
At one clinic in the gymnasium of Brooklyn Center Elementary, Gov. Tim Walz said there were more than 11,000 sites in the state where children ages 5 to 11 would be able to get the Pfizer vaccine, recently given emergency approval for use in the age group.
COVID is still crushing parts of the U.S. as the holiday season approaches
The U.S. is entering an uneasy stretch of the pandemic. Despite progress, the delta surge is dragging on in certain regions. Can vaccines ward off a big surge over the holidays?
Grieving a death during the pandemic
The pandemic has forced us to grieve differently. MPR News guest host Chris Farrell talks about how mourning rituals are changing and how we’re remembering loved ones who are gone. 
Biden's vaccine rules for 100 million workers are here. Here are the details.
Companies with at least 100 employees must ensure their workers get a COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly testing. Some 17 million health care workers face a vaccine mandate, with no testing option.